Toulon 2012

[Rebel rouser]

After a great weekend of super rugby, I was having a bit of withdrawals so switched over to the Foxsports replays of the weekend French Top 14 games.

Now, I very rarely watch this comp, as the teams mean little to me. However, every time I do I am amazed by the amount of talent running around up there. The Toulon team at the moment is almost like a Barbarians team. This is the team they put out against Montpellier:

15 Benjamin Lapeyre
14 Alexis Palisson
13 Mathieu Bastareaud
12 Matt Giteau
11 David Smith
10 Jonny Wilkinson
9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde
8 Joe van Niekerk
7 Steffon Armitage
6 Olivier Missoup
5 Bakkies Botha
4 Christophe Samson
3 Carl Hayman
2 Sebastien Bruno
1 Eifion Robert

Despite this, the match was one of the most mind numbing games of rugby I've ever watched. Terrible handling from both sides. Very little structure. Poor option taking. Now, admittedly, a lot of the players are past their prime, but in their prime Giteau, Wilkinson, Botha, Hayman would all have been world XV players. It begs the question does it just become a 'job' once they're overseas? And I wonder what the French supporters think about constantly importing these foreign players - particularly considering most don't even stay for long.

 

[tigerland12]

I think Toulon are the worst case of importing players in the French Top 14. If you look at other sides such as Toulouse, Clermont, Montpellier, Castres ect...Yes there are imports but there is still a large amount of French players.

It must be noted that Toulon only got promoted 3 or so seasons ago from the Pro D2 and instead of biding time and developing players like Montpellier and Castres, they used their financial backing to basically buy a team, most of which don't last more then two seasons with the side (the same situation occured at Racing-Metro). I agree it would be difficult for supporters of those two previously mentioned sides, wouldn't seem to have that loyalty feel amongst the players.

Meanwhile you look at Toulouse and Clermont where there are many players who spend most of their career at that club, and co-incidently these sides have always featured in the top half of the table.

If you look at that side you posted only Alexis Pallison is in a current international squad, the rest are mostly players look for a pay day accompanied by a two year holiday.

 

[Moono75]

Its a shame as David Smith was playing for us last year and just started to come good in the second half of the year. Would be handy to have him with us.

 

[Melbourne Terrace]

I think Toulon are the worst case of importing players in the French Top 14. If you look at other sides such as Toulouse, Clermont, Montpellier, Castres ect...Yes there are imports but there is still a large amount of French players.

It must be noted that Toulon only got promoted 3 or so seasons ago from the Pro D2 and instead of biding time and developing players like Montpellier and Castres, they used their financial backing to basically buy a team, most of which don't last more then two seasons with the side (the same situation occured at Racing-Metro). I agree it would be difficult for supporters of those two previously mentioned sides, wouldn't seem to have that loyalty feel amongst the players.

Meanwhile you look at Toulouse and Clermont where there are many players who spend most of their career at that club, and co-incidently these sides have always featured in the top half of the table.

If you look at that side you posted only Alexis Pallison is in a current international squad, the rest are mostly players look for a pay day accompanied by a two year holiday.

who cares where they are from as long as they are winning?

 

[tranquility]

Its a shame as David Smith was playing for us last year and just started to come good in the second half of the year. Would be handy to have him with us.

I thinkyou should be counting your blessings, you now have a much better version.

 

[Lee Grant]

Toulon is in 3rd place as I write this but I'd be surprised if they make the final instead of Toulouse or Clermont. I've been surprised before though.

They are doing well despite being a team of misfits - and better than Stade Francais have been for a while with a better class of misfits. They also have an owner who is like one of the cartoon characters of the comics he made his fortune from and who is not afraid to say his team has been raped by referees and that rugby in France is racist.

As Bill Lawry would say: in Toulon, it's all happening.

PS - Wouldn't have thought that Perpignan and Biarritz would be candidates for demotion at the beginning of the season.